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Objective: This review was designed to evaluate the status of quality management practice and challenges among medical laboratories in Ethiopia. Methods: A systematic qualitative review of the literature was made by searching the international electronic bibliographic database of PubMed (NML), web of science (TS), google scholar, African journals online (AJOL) and Cochrane Library. Results: Thirty-six full-text articles, which were published between 2010 and 2022, were included in this review. In this review, 33 of 36 (91.7%) studies showed that status of quality management practice in Ethiopian medical laboratories was limited. As a result, the quality of medical laboratories was inadequate. The main challenges were problems associated with laboratory professionals (35/36=97.2%), inadequate support from management bodies (21/36=58.3%), limited on-job training access (8 /36=22.2%) and high workload (5/36=13.8%). Conclusion: The status of quality management practice among medical laboratories in Ethiopia is limited. The main quality compromising factors were problems associated with laboratory professionals, inadequate support from management bodies, high workload, and limited on-job training access. Therefore, all responsible stakeholders should focus on ensuring Quality Management Systems and the system should be applied in all Medical laboratories. Only this will ensure the improvement of quality within medical laboratories across Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continual improvement of laboratory quality service is vital to ensure accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of laboratory results. Implementation of the quality management system is an effective way of monitoring and assuring laboratory quality service. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of laboratory quality management system implementation on improving quality laboratory service in the health centers of Oromia region. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 89 health centers from March 27, 2019 to June 30, 2019 in Oromia. Data were collected using a nationally established laboratory quality management system implementation assessment checklist for health center laboratories. It was analyzed by SPSS version 20 and significantly associated variables with improved laboratory quality services were identified. The status of laboratory quality management system implementation in each laboratory was determined by achievement of star levels. Results: Seventy-one (79.8%) of the total health center laboratories achieved star zero, 6 (6.7%) star one and 9 (10.1%) star two. Only 3 (3.4%) of the total participated laboratories achieved star three. Availability of SSOPs (AOR[95% CI]=7.5 ([1.10– 51.54])), preventive maintenance (AOR[95% CI]=9.34 ([1.15– 80.95])), review of customer satisfaction (AOR[95% CI]= 15 ([2.87– 80.82])), verification of results (AOR[95% CI]= 4.07 ([1.16– 14.36])), availability of specimen guideline (AOR[95% CI]= 5.91 ([1.48– 23.60])), availability of established quality indicators (AOR[95% CI]=5.51 ([1.15– 26.43])) and quality plan (AOR[95% CI]=4.69 ([1.37– 16.07])) were significantly associated with improved quality of laboratory service. Conclusion and Recommendation: About 20.2% of the health center laboratories provide improved laboratory service and achieved greater than star zero. Availability of SSOP, proper handling of documents, preventive maintenance, staff regular meetings, review of customer satisfaction, quality plan, verification of results, availability of specimen guideline, and availability of established quality indicators were the predictors of quality of laboratory service. Technical and managerial support by regional laboratories, facility management, and regional health bureau is vital for implementation of LQMS to improve laboratory quality services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) is a competency-based management training programme. Assessing health professionals' views of SLMTA provides feedback to inform program planning, implementation and evaluation of SLMTA's training, communication and mentorship components. Objectives: To assess laboratory professionals' and hospital chief executive officers' (CEOs) perceptions and attitudes toward the SLMTA programme in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in March 2013 using a structured questionnaire to collect qualitative data from 72 laboratory professionals and hospital CEOs from 17 health facilities, representing all regions and two city administrations in Ethiopia. Focus groups were conducted with laboratory professionals and hospital administration to gain insight into the strengths and challenges of the SLMTA programme so as to guide future planning and implementation. Results: Ethiopian laboratory professionals at all levels had a supportive attitude toward the SLMTA programme. They believed that SLMTA substantially improved laboratory services and acted as a catalyst for total healthcare reform and improvement. They also noted that the SLMTA programme achieved marked progress in laboratory supply chain, sample referral, instrument maintenance and data management systems. In contrast, nearly half of the participating hospital CEOs, especially those associated with low-scoring laboratories, were sceptical about the SLMTA programme, believing that the benefits of SLMTA were outweighed by the level of human resources and time commitment required. They also voiced concerns about the cost and sustainability of SLMTA. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for stronger engagement and advocacy with hospital administration and the importance of addressing concerns about the cost and sustainability of the SLMTA programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2010, a National Laboratory Strategic Plan was set forth in Ethiopia to strengthen laboratory quality systems and set the stage for laboratory accreditation. As a result, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme was initiated in 45 Ethiopian laboratories. Objectives: This article discusses the implementation of the programme, the findings from the evaluation process and key challenges. Methods: The 45 laboratories were divided into two consecutive cohorts and staff from each laboratory participated in SLMTA training and improvement projects. The average amount of supportive supervision conducted in the laboratories was 68 hours for cohort I and two hours for cohort II. Baseline and exit audits were conducted in 44 of the laboratories and percent compliance was determined using a checklist with scores divided into zero- to five-star rating levels. Results: Improvements, ranging from < 1 to 51 percentage points, were noted in 42 laboratories, whilst decreases were recorded in two. The average scores at the baseline and exit audits were 40% and 58% for cohort I (p < 0.01); and 42% and 53% for cohort II (p < 0.01), respectively. The p-value for difference between cohorts was 0.07. At the exit audit, 61% of the first and 48% of the second cohort laboratories achieved an increase in star rating. Poor awareness, lack of harmonisation with other facility activities and the absence of a quality manual were challenges identified. Conclusion: Improvements resulting from SLMTA implementation are encouraging. Continuous advocacy at all levels of the health system is needed to ensure involvement of stakeholders and integration with other improvement initiatives and routine activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining an efficient and effective inventory management system ensures a reliable supply of laboratory commodities. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the performance of inventory management for laboratory commodities in public hospitals in the Jimma zone. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional descriptive study, accompanied by a qualitative method, was conducted in seven public hospitals between April 30 and May 29, 2019. We collected data through document reviews (225 bin-cards), physical observation, self-administered questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using Excel spreadsheets and SPSS version 24. Fifteen key informants of different backgrounds took part in the qualitative study. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Results: All the public hospitals in the zone were included in the study, making a response rate of 100%. Of the total estimated bin-cards, 225 (69.9%) of them held along with the items, and only 30.4% of them filled accurately. In four of the hospitals, pharmacists determined how much to order. Five of the hospitals used average monthly consumption data to calculate purchase quantity. Over the past 6 months, four of the hospitals had placed at least one or two emergency orders. The wastage rate of the commodities in the hospitals was 27.2% and resulted in a loss of about 10,248.5 US dollars. The hospitals had met 70.6% of the criteria for proper storage conditions. Budget constraints, absence of prompt administrative support, lack of staff commitment, and frequent shortages of commodities on the part of suppliers were major bottlenecks of inventory management. Conclusions: The hospitals had weak inventory management practices, showed by inaccurate records, stock-outs (frequent emergency orders), a high wastage rate compared to national baseline statistics, and the storage conditions below the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]